Have a Drone? Check This Map Before You Fly It

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Have a Drone? Check This Map Before You Fly It

Bobby Sudekum / Amy Lee / Mapbox

The popularity of drones is climbing quickly among companies, governments and citizens alike. But the rules surrounding where, when and why you can fly an unmanned aerial vehicle aren't very clear. The FAA has tried to assert control and insist on licensing for all drone operators, while drone pilots and some legal experts claim drones do not fall under the FAA's purview. The uncertainty—and recent attempts by the FAA to fine a drone pilot and ground a search and rescue organization—has UAV operators nervous.

For instance, you'll see on the map below that there isn't a no-fly area over Berkeley Lab, which sits in the greyed area in the hills above UC Berkeley. Similarly, there is no zone marked around Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, one of the country's two nuclear weapons labs. I have a call into the lab to check on the rules*, but in the meantime, if you have a drone, just know that in 2006, the lab acquired a Gatling gun that has a range of 1 mile and can fire 4,000 rounds a minute.

*UPDATE 5:30 p.m.: Livermore Lab confirms that drones are not allowed. I'm following up with the Department of Energy to see if I can get more specifics and check on other facilities.